James h



(No Model.) l l J. H. WHITE.

PIREPLAGB FRAME. No. 513,255. Patented Jan. 23, 1894.

1HE NAYIQNAL LnHcGRAPHINm coMPANv.

wAsmNawn. u. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. WHITE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MANHATTAN d BRASS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIREPLACE-FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,255, dated January 23, 1894.

Application filed April 6, 1893. Serial No. 469,332. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Fireplace-Frames, of which the following is a specification.

Ornamental grate fronts havebeen made use sof-in which a metal frame is surrounded by ornamental tiling, and the grate is either supported by the metal frame or else set upon feet and resting within the fireplace. In this class of fireplaces it has heretofore been dificult to prevent the gases from a coal re or the smoke from a wood fire passing out into the room, and under all circumstances a separate blower or screen is inconvenient on account of the space occupied by it when removed, or else it is objectionable in appearance. Elorts have .been made to employ a rolling curtain of asbestus or similar noncombustible material, but this is liable to flap backward and forward bythe currents of air and is also objectionable in appearance at the upper part of the grate frame.

In my improvementsI make use of an ornamental hood coming out at the top portion of the grate frame, and within this a spring roller is introduced having a curtain of asbestus or similar material, so that the hood becomes an ornamental inclosure for the curtain and it also prevents gases or smoke passing out into the room, and the vertical edges of the replace frame are made double to form slots that receive the edges of the curtain of asbestus or similar material that hangs from the spring roller within the hood. By this improvement the edges of the curtain are held so that they do not flap back and forth or the curtain draw into thechimney or swing outwardly; the spring roller is substantially out of sight; the whole device is highly artistic and ornamental, and the curtain can be used either as a blower for directing the draft through the fire either within a grate or when wood. is supported .by andirons; or the curtain can be used' for regulating the ventilation passing up the chimney, or be more or less ornamental upon the surface thereof so as to form, when drawn down, a summerpiece acceptable in appearance.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in larger size of the same, and Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view in still larger size representing the channeled edge of the fire place frame at one side.

The border or tiling A is of any desired character, and there may be a metal lining to the fireplace, a part of which is shown at B, and in front of the same is the ornamental frame O which may be of sheet brass or other material, preferably double with a back bar O to form the channelsD for the edges of the curtain E or the ornamental frame O may be otherwise constructed or connected around the fireplace, the proper channels being left between the ornamental frame and the metal bars C or fireplace front, and at the top of the ireplace is the hood F, projecting in front of the metal frame and made with end pieces 2 and curved top delector 3, both of which may be`more or less ornamental, and the hood is connected with the framework of the fireplace, and within the hood F is the spring roller Gfor the curtain E. This spring roller is of any suitable character, and the curtain E is preferablyvof asbestus so as to be fireproof, and the position of the spring roller G and the width of the curtain are to be such that the vertical edges of the curtain run freely in the channels D, but they are held so that the curtain is retained in its proper position when drawn down more or less in front of the fireplace, and it is advantageous to make use of a lbar 4 at the bottom edge of the curtain and permanently connected thereto, the ends of which bar I are received into the channels D, and the curtain is thereby stiffened at the bottom edge so that it may be used either as a blower to a wood or coal fire or for retaining any gases or smoke and preventing the same passing into the room, or the curtain may be drawn down to a greater or less extent for the purposes of regulating the ventilation through the chimney, and the surface of the curtain may be ornamented to any desired extent so as to adapt the same to use as an ornamental summer-piece for closing the fireplaceA The fingers at II are connected at their outer roo ends to the frame and extend toward each other to a greateror less distance or may be in the form of a bar extending all across and being in front of the curtain and at the upper ends of the channels that receive the edges of the curtain; such curtain is held in position" by such fingers or cross bar and guided in its movements up or down. It is advantageous to extend the back of the hood downwardly as at L to near the fingers or cross bar, so as to close a space that otherwise might allow gases or smoke to escape.

I am aware that rolling curtains or blowers have been employed with grates and fire places, and that in some instances they edges of the blower have been guided by the grate frame, but these devices have been heavy and cumbersome i and in many instances the grate frame and mantle hadto be especially constructed so aste contain the rolling curtain. In myiniprovement the grate frame and hood being of sheet metal are light and can easily be secured in the lire placeor to one'already constructed, and they are especially adapted to lire places surrounded with tiles, because such hood and frame occupy but little spaceI and are light and ornamental in character.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the roller and curtain having a cross bar at its lower end,of an ornamental frame having channels at its opposite edges for the edges of the curtain and the ends ofthe cross bar,a sheet metal hood having a top and ends and projecting in front of and connected to the grate frame and receiving within it the roller and curtain, and the lingers or cross bar H, to guide the curtain,substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the roller and curtain having a cross bar at its lower end, of an ornamental frame having channels at its opposite edges'for the edges of the curtain and the ends of the cross bar, a sheet metal hood having a top and ends and projectingin front of and connected to the grate frame and receiving within it the roller and curtain, and the ngers or cross bar H, to guide the curtain and the plate L, at the back of the curtain extending down to such fingers or nearly so, substantially as specified.

. Signed by me this 1st day of April, 1893.

' JAIWIES H. WHITE.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINGKNEY, A. M. OLIVER. 

